Super Eagles Refuse To Train Over Non Payment Of Appearance Fees

The players are insisting that part of the funds from FIFA be paid them by the Nigerian soccer federation because they aren’t so sure of getting the money should they be knocked out of the tournament by France on Monday.

Players of the Nigerian national football team, the Super Eagles, refused to train in Campinas on Thursday because they haven’t been paid their appearance fees for qualifying the country for the second round of the World Cup.

The players are insisting that part of the funds from FIFA be paid them by the Nigerian soccer federation because they aren’t so sure of getting the money should they be knocked out of the tournament by France on Monday.

The team which had been scheduled to train at the Estadio Guarani at 6pm, kept journalists and fans waiting for 30 minutes outside their training camp. Coach Stephen Keshi was waiting inside the holding area for his players and the medical team had already placed supplies and equipment inside the team bus. The players disembarked from the bus and went for dinner instead, a source at the camp informed Ekekeee.

The Super Eagles later held a meeting in their hotel with the unpaid allowances at the top of the agenda.

The team is scheduled to depart for Brasilia on Friday afternoon to begin preparations for the date with France.

Sources within the camp however say the atmosphere was everything but cheerful.